Three-year-old sits on hot water container, dies

A three-year-old girl, Haliya Abolore, has died in the Gbagada area of Lagos State after she was

allegedly made to sit on a hot water container by her class teacher, identified only as Maryam.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Haliya, who attended a private school on Idoluwo Street, Dosunmu, Lagos

Island, was allegedly made to sit on the container on Wednesday, October 21.

It was learnt that Haliya, who suffered burns in her buttocks and private parts, was thereafter rushed

to the Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment.

It was gathered that the matter was reported at the Adeniji Adele Police Division, while Maryam was

arrested.

The school proprietress, Mrs. Bose Shomoade, was also said to have been invited for questioning by

the police, and made to pay parts of the treatment expenses.

Our correspondent gathered that Haliya, after two weeks, was moved to the Gbagada General

Hospital, for further treatment. The girl, however, died on Tuesday.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Haliya’s father, Abolore, said he took the incident as a mistake on the

part of the teacher, who knew the container had hot water, and made his daughter to sit on it.

He added that the school brought an undisclosed sum of money for the girl’s treatment before she

eventually died.

He said, “She was first taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital. Later, she was taken to the

Gbagada General Hospital. We have spent about N300,000 on her treatment. The proprietress gave us

N5,000 on the day of the incident. One week later, she visited the girl. She gave some money to my wife’s mother.

“The school teacher has been arrested and detained after the matter was reported at the Adeniji Adele

division. The teacher was careless. He knew the container was used to keep hot water and she still sat

her on it. All my daughter’s private parts were burnt. She was asked to sit on a container containing

hot water.

“My wife is distraught. She has been taken to our family house in Kwara State. Haliya is our jewel.

We are so sad to lose her.”

The Coordinator, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, Mrs. Lola Vivour

Adeniyi, said they had written to the state Ministry of Education to investigate the school.

She said, “It is sad. The abuse of the three-year-old occurred when she suffered horrific burns. She

was made to sit on a container of hot water in her school. We have just been informed that she died on Tuesday.

“Apparently, she stopped responding to treatment and the pain was too severe. We have also

informed the Ministry of Education about the incident.”

A doctor in the hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The girl died due to

complications from the burns.”

When PUNCH Metro contacted the school proprietress for comments, her line did not connect as of

time of this report.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, confirmed the incident.

He said, “The teacher was arrested and the matter was transferred to the State Department of

Criminal Investigation for further investigation. The operatives at the SDCI thereafter charged the

suspect to court.”

  by  Olaleye Aluko